Improved riding-stirrup and hood



c, lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT NELSON EAGLE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

YIMFFOt/ED RIDING-STIRRUP AND HOOD.

l Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,l33, dated July 7, 1863.

To all .whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ROBERT NELSON EAGLE, of the city and county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Riding-Stirrups and Hoods therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of one form ot' my improved stirrup. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view of one-half of a stirrup, illustrating a modified form of the hood.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

My present invention consists, rst, in constructing a wooden stirrup with converging arms, nearly or quite meeting at their upper ends, and there connected either directly or through the medium of a strap or cap, as hereinafter described; second, in a peculiar manner of constructing or applying a hood or toepiece of leather or analogous material.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction, with reference to the accompanying drawings,

A B B represent the main frame of the stirrup, which may be made of wood or other material, bent in the form required, A being the connecting tread or base, and B B the two arms or sides, which meet, or nearly meet, at their upper ends, and are there connected in any suitable way.

C represents a metallic strap or band riveted or otherwise attached to .the upper or inner surface of the arms B B to secure them together and impart strength.

c c c are rivets or nails by which said straps or bands may be attached.

D is an eye or loop formed with iianges d d, by which it is attached to the edges of the arms B B beneath the edges of the strap C. The said eye or loop may be held by a bolt, E, passing longitudinally through from front to back, or by rivets or bolts of other form.

F F represent dowels or strips of wood or other material, which may be inserted in sawcuts in the ends of the arms, and there secured with glue to retain the arms in position While the strap C is applied. This, however, is not essential, as the arms may be temporarily held by any proper means. The band O may be of any suitable material and of any desired length, either to simply connect the arms by lapping over or under their upper ends to a short distance each side of the joint, or extend to a greater distance down the sides 5 or, if preferred, it may extend completely around and beneath the tread, so as to envelop the entire frame in one connected band. The band C andloop D may be made and applied separately, as in the present illustration, or may be permanently connected or cast together in one piece, constituting a solid cap. The band or fastening C may be placed on either the inside or outside of the frame, or partially on the inside and partially on the outside, in longitudinal position, as here represented, or

transversely across the frame, or in any ob lique position between the two. The said loop is to receive the stirrupleather or suspendingstrap.

G in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 represents a front or toe piece of leather, rawhide, india-rubber, canvas, or other analogous material pressed into the form represented, or in any other desirable and practical form for the purpose intended, by means of suitable dies or blocks, and fitted within the front of the frame on a suitable rabbet, so as to mask the edges and bring the inner surface of the leather flush and leve-l with the inner surface of the frame. The said hood or toe-piece may be of any suitable form, and be placed either inside or outside ofthe frame or body of the stirrup, or inside above and outside below, or vice versa.

In Fig. 4 a modied form of the hood is shown at G. Its upper part is here secured upon the outside of the frame, and its lower part is formed of a central arm, G2, fitted in a rabbet in the upper surface of the tread A, giving greater prominence to the lower corners of the hood and leaving on each side of the arm G a concavity, as shown at g2.

For some uses the tread A will be made of wood, and the arms B B of metal, and these arms, whether of wood or metal, instead of being of a regular taper, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, may be made in curved form, as shown by red lines in FiO. 3, so as to afford a greater bearing for the foot in proportion to the width of the arms, and thus render the stirrup lighter in Weight and appearance. For the same purpose, and likewise to afford more free ventilation, apertures or cavities may be formed in the sides and tread in any form and manner desired.

To afford the foot a more regular and easy bearing, the central part ofthe upper surface of the tread may also be hollowed.

The front or toe piece, G or G', may be permanently fixed to the stirrup, or may be so oonstructed as to be attachable or detachable at Will, and secured in position by springs, thongs, buttons, or any other suitable means; or the other parts of the invention may be used Without the hood or toe-piece.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv l. Astirrup-frame of Wood, bent as described, with arms close together at their upper ends, in combination with a cap, strap, or band, applied to the inside or outside, or both inside and outside, of the frame to sustain the means of suspension, substantially as set forth.

2. A toe-piece or hood of leather or analogous material, stamped or prepared by dies in proper form, adapted to it Within or on the outside of the frame, or partially Within and partially on the outside, substantially as set forth.

R. N. EAGLE. Witnesses:

OorrAVIUs KNIGHT, CHARLES SMITH. 

